the experience of non-Party conferences has fully proved
that they have become an arena for
agitation[1]
by the Mensheviks and Socialist-Revolutionaries;

therefore, the greatest care must be taken in organising non-Party
conferences, by no means allowing them to be held without thorough
preparation at each respective factory. The Gubernia Party Committees
should be answerable to the Party for the success of every non-Party
conference.

Every Gubernia Party Committee is obliged to report to the Central
Committee not only on the success of every non-Party conference, but prior
to every non-Party
conference, setting forth its conditions and preparedness.

At the same time it is absolutely essential to step up the work of
preserving and developing the Communists’ ties with the non-Party
masses. For this purpose it is necessary:

not only to regularly hold general meetings for the rank-and-file
workers and peasants, but arrange business reports to the rank-and-file
workers and peasants by officials holding key posts. Such reports must be
delivered at least once a month in order that the non-Party rank-and-file
be given an opportunity to criticise the Soviet institutions and their
work. Reports are to be made not only by Communists, but by all officials
in top posts, first and foremost those of the food supply and economic
council agencies.

Every gubernia committee is obliged to forward exact information
monthly to the Central Committee about the number and progress of all these
reports, as well as the demands made by the non-Party people at these
meetings.

The C.C. will draw up more detailed instructions on the organisation of
such reports, on the measures for checking ties with the masses’ on the
progress of the work for improving their condition, and on fighting the
Mensheviks and Socialist-Revolutionaries, who are acting under the guise of
non-Party people,
etc.[3]

Notes

[1]The word “organisation” is written above the word “agitation” in
the manuscript.—Ed.

[2]This document formed the basis of the draft letter of the C.C.,
R.C.P.(B.) dated May 1 “On the Attitude to NonParty Workers” to whitch
Lenin made a numner ot amendments and wrote an addendum (see Collected
Works, Vol. 43, Fifth Russian Edition, pp. 390-92). On May 4 the
CC. endorsed the draft letter with Lenin’s amendments and addendum, and on
May 7 it was published in Pravda No. 97 as a circular to all
Gubernia and Uyezd Party Committees, communist groups and trade
unions.

[3]Lenin added in pencil at the end of the manuscript: &8220;(pamphlet on
the Socialist-Revolutionaries and Mensheviks. On therights...) .” The
last word is illegible Apparently Lenin meant the rights of general
meetings.